


The Captain's Predicament

by Clockwork_Cat



Category: Shingeki no Kyojin | Attack on Titan
Genre: Alpha Eren Yeager, Alpha Levi Ackerman, Alpha/Beta/Omega Dynamics, Dominant Levi Ackerman, F/M, Jealous Levi (Shingeki no Kyojin), Nonbinary Hange Zoë, Possessive Levi Ackerman, Rough Sex
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-02-07
Updated: 2021-03-02
Packaged: 2021-03-13 04:42:03
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 5
Words: 9,877
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29272662
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Clockwork_Cat/pseuds/Clockwork_Cat
Summary: You’re one of the recruits under Captain Levi’s command, a notoriously powerful Alpha who is often reverently referred to as humanity’s strongest soldier.You’re thrilled to be one of the chosen soldiers to fight for humanity under his command, and have quickly grown close to fellow recruits Eren, Armin and Mikasa. However, there is one slight issue…The Captain seems to despise you, and you can’t fathom why.Perhaps he just hates Omegas, after all, you’re the only one amongst the recruits:“If a Titan died every time someone told me that I’m too weak to be a soldier because of my Omegan biology, well, I’m pretty sure there would be no Titans left.”Or perhaps he’s just trying to hide something from you…(will update tags/ etc as I add new chapters)
Relationships: Levi (Shingeki no Kyojin)/Reader, Levi (Shingeki no Kyojin)/You
Comments: 63
Kudos: 360





	1. Pheromones

“I just don’t understand what his problem is.”

You look up from your nearly empty plate, still methodically chewing, and notice that Eren is staring at you. You meet his gaze and raise an eyebrow in confusion. The others at the table have noticed the exchange, and their eyes are flickering between the two of you in varying degrees of alarm.

He seems to be waiting for you to say something, because the staring continues, and he doesn’t elaborate. “Umm..” you mumble, feeling awkward at the attention, “Who are you talking about?”

He looks at you pityingly, which kind of throws you off guard, and sternly announces “Captain Levi.”

You break eye-contact and stare back down at your plate, uncomfortable embarrassment sitting in the pit of your stomach. Levi was known for his stoic strictness, and you were pretty sure everyone in the Levi Squad was scared of him (to varying degrees), but honestly it had felt like he had some sort of personal vendetta against **you** specifically.

Armin clears his throat, and you raise your head in response, your eyes meeting his as he admits, “I’ve noticed it too.”

You decide to feign ignorance and retort with “Well, I haven’t noticed anything” but the words are formed too aggressively and way too defensively to be taken seriously, and you cringe inwardly for being so emotional.

Armin continues, “Captain Levi might be a bit of a martinet at the best of times… and he isn’t known for being soft on any of us recruits, but he seems to have some sort of personal grudge against you.”

You let out an anxious whine, and a few of the people around the table stiffen in response, “I thought I was just being overly sensitive to be honest…”

Armin looks at you sympathetically, “You didn’t want to say anything because you were worried that it would be misconstrued as a weakness of your biology, being oversensitive I mean?”

You bite the inside of your cheek angrily, “If a Titan died every time someone told me that I’m too weak to be a soldier because of my Omegan biology, well, I’m pretty sure there would be no Titans left.”

The awkward silence around the table speaks volumes.

Not for the first time today, you find yourself wishing you could disappear.

Mikasa is the one to break the silence, “You’ve more than proven yourself, and honestly the most emotional one on this team is Eren by far, and he’s an Alpha.”

You can’t help it; you snort with laughter. Smiling you assure your friends, “Honestly, guys, I really appreciate the fact that you’re looking out for me, but I’m fine, I can handle it. I’m not about to let some arrogant alpha Captain bully me out of the squad.”

***

The squad had been tasked with cleaning the barracks, a universally despised job.

“Ugh, this would be a lot more bearable if I didn’t know from experience that Levi won’t be satisfied no matter how much elbow grease I put into my cleaning.” Eren groaned, scrubbing at the windows.

The squad had divided itself into pairs, and you were working with Eren on cleaning this room, although you were painfully aware of the fact that once you were finished in here you’d have to dedicate your efforts to cleaning the next and then the next…

You respond equally frustrated, “I know what you mean… and what business does this bloody building have being so huge? I swear that by the time we get to the last room on this floor, this one will be covered in dust and we’ll have to start over from the beginning!”

You both stare at each other hopelessly.

“I’d love for Captain Levi to walk in here and be rendered speechless for once…” You sigh dreamily.

Eren blinks at you.

“What?” You say defensively, “It would just be nice if he could be impressed for once, instead of just endlessly criticising everything I do… even something as mundane as cleaning.”

A sparkle forms in his eyes, “We’re going to make sure this room is spotless, that way he’ll be forced to acknowledge how unfair he’s being towards you.”

You sigh, it would be incredibly satisfying if the Captain would only acknowledge your worthiness as a member of the squad, and although really you desired acknowledgement for your work as a soldier, any kind of validation from him would be a start. You nod at Eren, “Okay, lets show that short-arse how it’s done.”

He laughs and throws you the sponge, “You concentrate on the floors, and once I’ve finished with the windows, I’ll come and help.”

You’re scrubbing the floors with such intensity that the muscles in your arms begin to burn with the effort, and it makes you appreciate the reasoning for the Captain getting you all to do this, after all it’s certainly good exercise. It might feel a bit demeaning for a soldier to be tasked with such a mundane task but as usual, there seems to be important insight to his orders. If only you could find any insight in his hating you…

Maybe he’s just another egotistical Alpha who views Omegas as inferior.

You scrub the floor with amplified aggression.

You don’t want to believe that to be true, though, and decide to give him the benefit of the doubt. Afterall, no one is obligated to be nice to you, and there could well be any plethora of reasons for him to dislike you.

You’re so wrapped up in your own head that you don’t notice Eren sneaking up from behind you, until it’s too late. He squeezes the dirty water out of his sponge and onto your neck laughing as you yelp at the feeling of the cold liquid sliding down your shoulders and soaking your top so that it clings uncomfortably to your skin.

You spin around and glare at him, with no real malice. He just shrugs, “You looked like you needed a distraction.” Your expression softens, feeling grateful to have him as a friend.

He smirks, “Plus, your reaction was pretty hilarious” and offers you his hand, presumably to help you up.

Goaded by his smirk, you unthinkingly reach for his hand and pull hard, so that he falls down on top of you with a shriek.

It’s at that unfortunate moment of goofing around that Captain Levi decides to walk in.

Neither of you notice him until he’s already crossed the distance between the door and where Eren is practically straddling you on the floor.

Your heart all but leaps into your throat as the Captain grabs Eren by the collar of his shirt, rips him off of you, and throws him violently against the wall with a deep guttural growl.

**_Alpha, Alpha, Alpha._ **

You’re horrified for Eren, really, but the sound of that growl triggers something carnal and unignorable from the depths of your very being; begging you to submit to the man in front of you.

**_Alpha, Alpha, Alpha._ **

You clench your teeth and fists, desperately fighting against your cursed biology, and forcing yourself not to move, not to give away your embarrassing internal struggle of instinct versus will. Sure, the Captain was ridiculously attractive, you reasoned, but you didn’t want to throw yourself at his feet. Your body seemed to disagree, as heat pooled between your legs.

You desperately wished the floor would swallow you up forever.

You risk a glance at Captain Levi, terrified that he might read your mind, but faced with the hot-blooded fury in his eyes you are unable to suppress a pathetic, desperately embarrassing whimper.

_Fuck, could this get any worse? You must have really pissed off someone in a past life to be experiencing such unbearable embarrassment in this one._

He sucks in a deep breath and staggers slightly, just as you hear the others in your squad appear at the doorway; probably lured here by the sound of the commotion.

If he’s noticed their arrival he makes no sign of it, as his eyes remain glued hungrily to your face.

 _He looks almost possessed_ you think.

You’ve always been impressed by the power he exudes, despite his lower-than-average height, but at this moment you feel that anyone would cower in his wake – even a whole hoard of Titans.

Not taking his eyes off of you he suddenly commands in a low, growling voice “Get up.”

 ** _Yes Alpha_** your body screams.

You shakily stand up, drunk from the adrenaline and the smell of his pheromones hit you like a kick to the chest. You’re the one staggering now.

**_Alpha, Alpha, Alpha._ **

He smells so warm, and inviting, like mulled wine on a cold, dreary day. You ached for him. He was so close, you could close the distance between the two of you so easily, you could rub your face in his delicious scent and mark yourself with it…

**_Strong Alpha._ **

**_Powerful Alpha._ **

**_Your Alpha._ **

_What the FUCK?_

The uninvited thought brought you back to reality with mortified horror.

The shock of it made you bite down hard on your tongue, and blood filled your mouth – the taste of metallic copper mixing with the Captain’s scent and dulling it’s effect on you. 

You swallowed, hard, and willed yourself to take shallow breaths.

Captain Levi, still growling (although seemingly unaware of it), looks between you and Eren; who is now also standing and looking at the Captain with the same animalistic fury. 

You know that Eren doesn’t hate the Captain, and realise his Alpha hormones must be affected, just as your Omegan ones are, by the Captain’s display of dominance over him.

Real fear engulfs you as you realise the implications of this potential conflict between Alphas for dominance. Your breathing quickens, and you feel as though you might faint from the onslaught of anxiety, Levi’s intoxicating scent, and the battle of mind versus instinct. You open your mouth, to say something, but you’re not sure what…

Gratefully, you think, you’ll never know what words would have fallen out of your mouth in that unimaginable situation because you’re interrupted by Captain Levi, who abruptly bites out, “Get back to work” before practically storming past the others and out of the room.

**_No Alpha, don’t leave me…_ **

A tsunami of unsolicited panic and intense despair floods your system, and it takes the last of your strength to bite back the tears threatening to spill out.

Reality slowly comes back to you as your comrades and friends filed into the room around Eren and yourself, each of them demanding to know:

“What the hell just happened?”


	2. (Not) Powerless

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Warning - This chapter contains threats of sexual assault from an unnamed character.

You’re lying wide awake, on your back, in bed and feeling intensely guilty for what had happened earlier on in the day:

**It was your fault Eren got punished like that.**

_What on Earth had compelled you to fool around so?_

Eren had only pulled that cheap prank as a lifeline, to pull you from your sullen thoughts, and you had paid him back for his kindness by retaliating and putting him in punishments way.

 _Some friend I am_ , you think bitterly.

Why hadn’t the Captain punished you for the misdemeanour too?

 _I must have looked pretty fucking pathetic if he took one look at me and decided that I wouldn’t be able to cope with being disciplined_ , you think angrily.

Traitorous tears threaten to spill from your eyes, and you rub them aggressively with clenched fists.

All you wanted was to be strong, to fight for humanity, and to prove everyone wrong about the perception of Omegas as weak. But today, you had acted like a child and bought Eren down with you; both literally and metaphorically.

If the Captain didn’t hate you before, he would certainly hate you now for being such a bad influence on the others.

 ** _Alpha gone_** your heart whispers sadly.

You want to smother your treacherous instincts, and feel disappointed in yourself for nearly losing control to them entirely.

 _God, as if today wasn’t embarrassing enough, imagine if you’d actually tried nuzzling into him like your treasonous body had begged of you._ Shuddering at the thought, you wrapped the blanket tighter around your body.

You sigh loudly, in an unsuccessful attempt to alleviate the tension in your chest.

_And his fucking scent._

_Oh god, his fucking delicious scent._

**_Strong Alpha_** , your body cooed in agreement.

An embarrassed whine escapes from you, unintentionally. _Thank god for private rooms_ , you think anxiously, covering your face with the blanket.

You thought about how odd it was that the Captain’s pheromones would impact you so deeply, it wasn’t like your body begged you to submit to every Alpha you came into contact with. You supposed that Levi’s pheromones had been more intense because of the assertion of dominance over Eren, but even so, it seemed strange.

Eren and Jean, one of the other Alphas on the squad, squabbled often seeking to assert dominance over each other and, although you sometimes felt a little tipsy from the pheromones released, you hardly wanted to fling yourself at them.

Another shudder of embarrassment interrupts your train of thought.

 _Perhaps I ought to start taking a double dose of my suppressants_ , you think nervously, _but the side effects of that could be ugly…_

You shake your head, no, you wouldn’t resort to that unless absolutely necessary.

You would have to take other measures, like taking small breaths through your mouth around the Captain. It’s not like you could avoid him entirely.

One thing you were incredibly grateful for was the way that Eren had swept the whole thing under the rug when the others had hounded you about the incident.

He had generously shrugged and declared it to be nothing, telling the others to get back to cleaning. They’d clearly been unsatisfied with that, but no amount of pestering would get Eren to elaborate and you certainly weren’t in the mood to talk, so they let you be.

Burying your head with the blanket, you willed yourself to sleep.

***

You’re up early, not seeing much point in attempting to sleep for any longer, after a tumultuous night’s sleep of drifting in and out of consciousness.

The sun hasn’t risen yet, you notice, and you have no way of telling the time, although you feel confident that it’s the early hours of the morning.

You quietly meander downstairs to manifest some sense of normality, of control. Naturally, this takes tangible form in the completion of a comforting ritual – making yourself a cup of tea.

Things were slow for the squad at the moment, and it seemed as though Erwin was waiting for something before relaying the next instructions to the squad. You weren’t sure what he was planning, but you trusted him.

That being said, you were itching to get back outside of the walls and onto the battlefield. You felt you needed to re-prove your worth as a member of this squad.

Watching yourself pour the hot liquid into your cup, you feel a sense of calm determination swelling within your chest.

You will not let yesterdays ‘incident’ weigh you down any longer.

No, you will wash yourself of it entirely and strive to maintain better control over your instincts from this point onward.

***

Having nothing better to do, you decide to run laps around the barracks whilst you wait for the others to wake up; hoping to prove how committed you are after yesterday’s embarrassing slip up. You know you’re not the fastest in the squad, you never were a natural sprinter, but you have heaps of stamina and can maintain a steady pace for miles without a break.

Goosebumps cover your bare arms as the brisk air sucks the heat from your skin.

The sun is slowly rising, pouring divine shades of amber, pale gold and deep garnet across the horizon. You feel incredibly lucky to be privy to such a sight, unparalleled in beauty as it is.

“Gorgeous.” You whisper aloud, utterly enchanted by the view, although the word feels vastly inadequate.

A gruff, unfriendly voice that you don’t recognise grunts from behind you, “You certainly are, precious.”

A tidal wave of adrenaline fuelled fear crashes violently through your body.

You know what this is, you’ve experienced encounters like this countless times throughout your life.

Despite that, it never gets less scary – knowing that every time you get away unscathed, you’re brought closer to the time where you might not. You’d rather face a Titan, than a crazed Alpha; death would be a more appealing fate.

You pivot around on your heels with aggressive speed, facing the intruder. He’s dressed in military police garb, and towers above you.

You don’t recognise him.

Sneering at you, he drawls, “Oh don’t look at me all scared like that, you _pretty little_ _plaything_.”

He flashes a vulgar smirk at you, revealing sharp canines, and inching forward slightly he whispers, “It only turns me on more.”

The sour, acrid smell of his pheromones, turn your stomach, transporting you back to the days before your military training, when you relied on luck to get out of situations like this.

“I didn’t believe the rumours at first. I can’t believe they were true – an Omega in the Survey Corps? How delightfully quaint. Do all their cleaning, do you?”

He takes a deep breath in, “You smell so ripe, so delicious… it’s making me drool in anticipation.”

Despite years of military training, you feel **powerless** again.

It’s only when his disgusting, sweat covered fingers reach out and brush against your cheek that you remember you’re not.

You’re not powerless anymore.

_Fucking slimy pig!_

Your fist connects violently with his nose; it’s a cheap shot and lacks finesse but you’re too high on adrenaline to care.

A satisfying crunch sounds from under your fist as his nose breaks from the impact.

You jump swiftly back, narrowly avoiding his retaliating blow.

“ **YOU FUCKING** **BITCH**!” He screams in unadulterated rage, blood gushing from the wound.

He staggers forward, making blind attempts to grab at you, but you’re much too quick for him.

Something flashes in the corner of your eye, and as you turn to look toward it – distracted for a mere second – his palm connects brutally with the side of your head.

_Shit._

Staggering to the side, you’re momentarily enveloped in darkness as your sight fails you.

Ears ringing, you blink rapidly until the world starts to fuzzily reappear.

Regaining your bearings, you’re floored to see Captain Levi standing between you and the interloper, who seems to have gone into some kind of unthinking, bestial rage. 

**_Strong Alpha_ **

your body sings in relief.

**_Powerful Alpha_ **

your heart murmurs reverently.

**_Protective Alpha_ **

your mind whispers appreciatively.

The Captain is snarling viciously. You’ve never seen him like this before; he’s usually so composed during combat.

You watch in awe as he incapacitates the unknown Alpha aggressor with terrifying speed, landing kicks and blows of devastating force with immaculate aim.

The Alpha in military police uniform is unconscious now, no match for humanity’s strongest, and yet Captain Levi doesn’t stop his attacks.

 _He’s going to kill him_ you think, alarmed, as another rib cracks under the Captain’s boot.

 ** _Yes_** … purrs your inner Omega … ** _finish off the opponent._**

“Captain.” You utter anxiously.

If he hears it, he’s ignoring you, and lands another brutal blow to the chest.

“Captain Levi!” You insist, “You’ll kill him!”

He pauses, fists still clenched tightly, and after a long, drawn out silence replies, “Tch, damn twisted bastard deserves to die.”

You hasten to reply, “I agree, but…”

Turning to face you in one swift, seamless movement the words die in your mouth.

_If looks could kill…_

He looks terrifying in his fury and his anger is directed at you.

Taking a step towards you, he growls, “Do you have shit for brains?”

You just stare at him in shock.

He continues, grey eyes set aflame “What the hell were you thinking, dammit, wondering around alone when you _evidently_ can’t defend yourself properly.”

Anger sparks inside of you, “I was defending myself just fine, until _you_ showed up.”

He laughs, but entirely devoid of mirth, “Sure you were runt. Nice job blindly punching his face – it’s a miracle you didn’t break your wrist with piss poor form like that.”

Shame burns within you, he was right – you had retaliated blindly, with no methodology and devoid of anything learnt during combat training.

He takes another step forward, “We’re damn lucky your Titan killing abilities aren’t as shit as yo–”

A gust of wind nudges you from behind, blowing your hair in front of your face and towards his, and he freezes – swallowing hard.

Something wild flashes in his eyes that excites your inner Omega:

 ** _Yes Alpha, yours Alpha_** it coos silently.

He looks ready to devour you.

Reaching out possessively, he wipes some of the other Alpha’s blood off of your cheek with his thumb.

 ** _Yes Alpha, claim what is yours_** purrs your inner Omega in delight.

The wind changes direction and the wild look in his eyes is replaced with cold detachment. He hastily snatches back his hand in a show of disgust.

“You reek of _him_. Go take a fucking shower.” He coolly orders.

Sneering in distain he looks down at himself, and bites out with venom, “Tch, and I’m filthy now too because **_you couldn’t take care of yourself_.”**

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you enjoyed this chapter! I tried to develop the reader character a bit more in this one - do you think that came across? 
> 
> Again, any kudos/ comments are very appreciated (serves as great motivation for writing haha) 
> 
> Constructive criticism is very gratefully received <3


	3. Freedom

News of the incident quickly spread; apparently a couple of recruits had been woken by the commotion and caught the tail end of things through a window. Of course, no one saw the part where you punched the fucker in the face, oh no, they just witnessed your pathetic arse getting rescued by the Captain.

_Why does the universe insist on making a spectacle out of your misery?_

You’re met with sympathy from your squad at least.

“What a creep.” Armin visibly shudders with disgust as the words escape through gritted teeth.

You nod, mutely, and stab at a small piece of potato floating in your stew with entirely more force than necessary.

Eren is staring at you, deep in thought, a frown buried in his face. You eye him wearily. 

Sighing loudly, you demand with defensive irritation, “What is it?”

He looks pained, and mumbles “I was just trying to decide whether or not I should tell you what I overheard from one of the other squads in the Survey Corps…” he flinches “You have a right to know what is being said about you, but it’s not exactly friendly.”

You close your eyes and breathe deeply, trying to regain composure. You were more than familiar with hateful remarks being thrown your way from strangers; you felt guilty, however, for allowing your frustration of the situation out on Eren.

Opening your eyes again, and meeting his sympathetic gaze you force a small smile, “I’m sorry for snapping at you, it was unfair.”

He looks even more pained as you ask, “Please, tell me what you heard.”

Looking between Armin and Mikasa he bites his lip and relays what he overheard, “I’ll spare you the details, but essentially they were making jeering remarks about your being an Omega and –”

Anger flashes across his face, and you can’t help but notice the way his hand curls into a tense fist.

“– they said you deserved it, that you… that you were probably inviting it… that Captain Levi has better things to do than look after a wh–”

Mikasa lands a swift elbow to his ribs, the message unspoken but clear – _you’ve said enough_.

But he hasn’t said what’s really plaguing him yet, and guilty continues, “I- I’m so sorry, but when I heard what they said I lost it. It was so unfair and so wrong, and I couldn’t just let them say it without calling them out on their bullshit.”

He looks at his lap, face flushed with red-hot shame.

He finishes his story with a pained sigh, “I grabbed one of them by the collar, and shoving him against the wall I told him how wrong he was, how I’d kill him if he said anything like that about you again. I was so angry that I didn’t stop to think about how my actions might affect you… As I was walking away, I heard them muttering to each other that you must be screwing all the Alphas in your squad; considering how quickly they jump to your defence”.

Not one of the three of them will meet your gaze, and you fancy you can feel the thick tension in the air wrapping around your throat; which is already burning from the effort of silently choking back the feelings of hurt bubbling beneath your chest.

You’d been anticipating this sort of gossip, considering how the social perception of Omegas is entirely rooted in the ideology that their prime purpose in life is to create, carry and birth new life. Like biology is indicative of character, and the sum of all your parts – rather than just one piece of your identity. It’s not dissimilar to the sort of baseless accusations you’d faced during your time in military training either.

Knowing that doesn’t make it sting any less.

 _But_ , you think softly, _it’s nice to have friends that respect and defend me_.

“Eren.” His eyes anxiously flitter to your face.

You address him softly, but firmly, “I appreciate you sticking up for me regardless.”

His eyes widen, “But the rumours–” he starts.

You interrupt him with a nonchalant wave of your hand, “They’re just rumours, they have no merit whatsoever. You know that, I know that…” you gesture to Armin and Mikasa “The rest of the squad knows that.”

Sucking in a deep breath through your teeth you lie easily, “I don’t care what lies are being spread about me.”

All three of them are staring, and you wonder if they believe you.

“I _do_ care about the opinions of people I respect, and that includes the three of you. So, again, thank you for defending me Eren, just as you would have done for Armin or Mikasa – and for not treating me differently because of my being an Omega. Those arseholes would’ve jumped to that conclusion without your stepping in.”

The words seem to cut through the tension and Eren visibly relaxes; absolved of the majority of the guilt weighing on him.

 _One day_ , you think wistfully, _I’ll be so sure of myself and my accomplishments, that I’ll be able to say in absolute truth that the opinions of others don’t matter to me._

***

Your squad is lined up in a neat row in front of Captain Levi, who looks characteristically irked. Behind him, bouncing on the balls of their feet excitedly, is Section Commander Hange Zoё. 

The Captain’s irked expression deepens when they place a friendly hand on his shoulder, but the Section Commander ignores his irritated muttering and addresses the squad excitedly, “Hello! For those of you who haven’t met me before, I’m Section Commander Hange Zoё, but you may all refer to me simply as Hange. I have no patience for lengthy titles.”

Poking Captain Levi’s cheek and expertly dodging his responding slap by ducking to the side, Hange continues, “Levi here has so kindly allowed me to borrow your services today! I am hoping to continue with some experiments to gain a better understanding of the Titans, but in order to do so I need some more samples.”

A cheshire grin spreads animatedly across their face.

“That’s where you lovely lot come into play! I need you to collect for me as much biological material as possible from a selection of Titans; that includes blood, saliva, hair, flesh and the like.”

A determined hum resounds silently throughout your body - you feel most secure in your value as a member of this squad when you’re fighting Titans side by side with them.

 _It’ll be nice to release some pent-up tension_ , you think in grim satisfaction.

***

Riding in formation with the others, with the wind smacking against your face and wildly combing through your hair, you feel completely liberated.

_Out here, with comrades who respect me for me, I’m not imprisoned by socially enforced expectations. Out here, I can exist shamelessly and without my every move being measured against a specific ideology of what I ‘should’ be._

The thought inflates giddily in your chest.

You lovingly rub your hand against the spot where your horse’s neck meets her shoulders.

You’ve only had Libertas for a month, and yet you already feel a deep connection with her; it’s hard not to associate this feeling of freedom with her.

 _I might not have wings_ , you muse, _but she’s a close substitute._

***

The way the Captain soars through the air and dispatches of Titans with seemingly effortless precision is, simply put, incredible to watch.

 _He looks unstoppable: what’s it like, being so immeasurably strong, fast and powerful?_ You think, along with the rest of your squad.

You don’t think you could ever tire of watching him.

You forcefully tear your eyes away from him, and will yourself to focus on the mission. Captain Levi had ordered you, Armin and Jean to collect samples from the fallen Titans – whilst he and the others cover you.

It had irritated you at first, being assigned to the task that didn’t involve fighting the Titans, but you had to trust his judgement.

 _His judgement that I’m too much of a liability to fight_ you think bitterly.

You grit your teeth, and get on with it.

***

You’ve almost filled Hange’s specimen containers with samples when you see it happening.

An abnormal titan, crawling on four legs, has broken through the formation the others have created around you, and is lunging towards Jean.

Jean, who has his back to the abnormal and is busily trying to scrape dead Titan saliva into a vile, hasn’t noticed.

Your body switches into autopilot and moving entirely of its own accord, buries grappling hooks into the abnormal titan’s shoulders from your ODM gear, which thrusts you through the air and onto it’s back.

You bury your blades in the flesh at the nape of it’s neck as you land; carving a fatally deep laceration into the meat.

It collapses mere feet from Jean, who whips around in shock from the sound of it’s lifeless body thumping to the ground.

He looks at you, wide-eyed and murmurs a meek, “Thank you.”

You flash him a smile, feelings of inadequacy momentarily forgotten, and respond with a humble “You’re welcome.”

***

“That appears to be all of them in the immediate vicinity for now, Captain.” Mikasa announces, from her perch atop of an alarmingly large (but thankfully dead) Titan.

The Captain’s eyes glance over the faces of each of those under his command, and he remarks “Tsk, there were more in this area than we anticipated.”

His eyes land on you, Armin and Jean.

“Have you finished securing the samples?” he demands.

The three of you respond in unison, “Yes sir.”

He nods towards the horses, “Let’s get back inside the walls, then.”

Calling your horse to you, anxiety mars the success of the mission when you realise she’s injured as she limps toward you.

 _My wings have been clipped_ you think, filling with dread.

Running over to inspect her weak leg you desperately call out “Captain!”

Libertas’ warm breath condenses on your neck as you try to assess her condition.

Captain Levi appears silently from behind you, his scent enveloping you like a comforting caress.

 ** _Alpha here, safe now_** your heart coos. You pointedly ignore it. 

He places his hand on Libertas’ injured leg and studying it says, “She’ll be fine, it’s just a sprain.”

He pauses, contemplating something, then sighs wearily.

“You can’t ride her back though; it’ll worsen the injury and take longer to heal. We don’t know when we’ll be needing to use the horses again.”

You nod, then pale and weakly exclaim, “I expect you’ll order me to run back on foot, then.”

You think you see real mirth flash across his features, before being replaced with characteristic stoic annoyance as he responds with, “As much as I would _love_ to watch you struggling to keep up with the horses, no. You’ll only slow us down.”

He scans the faces of the others, who have all already mounted their horses at this point, and are waiting for his signal. His face morphs into a deep scowl, eyebrows knitted together. You notice a change in his scent, which seems to have suddenly deepened; leaving you feeling more than a little lightheaded.

_Cinnamon, star anise, cloves and a smoky woodsy almost earthy…_

**_Alpha, Alpha, Alpha_** your inner Omega is absolutely revelling in it, begging you to:

 ** _Submit to him_**.

 _No, he doesn’t want me._ You think defensively, feeling as though your mind has been submerged in treacle. _And I- I don’t want him. I don’t think… I mean he’s amazing, and strong and really fucking hot but- oh shit, I do NOT have a crush on the fucking Captain-_

As you struggle inwardly in the attempt to regain control of yourself, you vaguely realise the Captain is saying something.

“-is the strongest of the horses and I don’t want you slowing any of these other brats down and getting them eaten by Titans.”

Piecing the words together you gasp in disbelief, “You want me to ride with you?!”

His eyes narrow as he growls, “Unless your heart is set on running behind us on foot?”

 ** _Yours Alpha_** your inner Omega purrs placatingly.

Your eyes widen, and you quickly reply stuttering, “No-no-no, I’ll ride with you, thank you Captain Levi-sir!”

 _Not because I’m submitting to him,_ you think defensively _, just because he’s my Captain and I have to do what he tells me._

He ties Libertas’ reins to his horse’s, a beautiful and strong midnight-black mare, and getting into the saddle stares pointedly at you. You blink stupidly, still feeling a bit stunned.

He rolls his eyes and reaches out a hand for you to grab, offering to help you up, and voice dripping with irritated impatience he says, “Anytime today would be wonderful.”

You scramble onto his horse, ignoring the hand he had extended out to you out of indignant principle.

You can feel the heat flushing across your face as you sit awkwardly behind Captain Levi, straddling him in the saddle.

 ** _MY Alpha_** your inner Omega purrs with alarming intensity.

You do your best to ignore it.

He tenses a bit as you hesitantly wrap your arms around his waist in a light hold.

“I wasn’t aware you were so weak” he says mockingly, “you’re going to have to hold on a lot tighter than that if you don’t want to go flying.”

Irritated, you tighten your grip as much as you can, but to your immense frustration it doesn’t seem like he notices; you make a mental note to use the dumbbells in the gym attached to the barracks more often.

He orders the squad to start riding back towards the walls and as his horse spurs forward and your irritation dwindles you start feeling incredibly flustered again.

_Captain Levi is between my legs… and his intoxicating scent… oh I just want to bury my face in it._

**_Scent him_** your inner Omega demands.

You really, really want to rub your face into his neck, but the last stubborn piece of your self-control absolutely refuses to let that happen.

However, no amount of self-control can tamper down on the pleasurable heat that is slowly building in your lower abdomen at the thought of it.

You subconsciously shift a little in the saddle, aching for some friction and only realise what you’re doing when you swear you hear a faint growl emanating from him.

 ** _Mine, my Alpha_** your accursed inner Omega growls in response.

_Kill. Me. Now. Oh fuck, please… please let him have not have realised that was anything other than innocent fidgeting._

Face aflame with embarrassment, you realise your underwear is starting to feel a little damp from your inexorable arousal.

 _I absolutely hate myself_ you think in utter mortification, and beg inwardly _please, oh please don’t let him smell it._

_***_

When you make it back inside the safety of the Walls the Captain mutters something about being late to business somewhere and swiftly darts off after relaying orders to:

“Make sure the horses are properly seen to and then report back to Hange immediately with the findings.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> wOAH is it getting hot in here? 
> 
> Okay I had a lot of fun writing this chapter and I hope you enjoyed reading it as much as I did writing it! <3
> 
> I was trying to further build on the reader's struggle with societal expectations of her as an Omega and emphasise her growing attraction to the Captain outside of her 'carnal omegan' desire for him (as well as that too! hehe). I hope the characterisations feel multidimensional. 
> 
> I just want to say a huge thank you to everyone who has commented so far (and left kudos!), reading such encouraging comments honestly make my day - I find myself constantly rereading them and grinning like an idiot. <3
> 
> I can't believe this fic has over a hundred kudos - I'm so pleased so many of you are enjoying it!! x


	4. Warm water

You do your best to push any thoughts of the Captain from your head, instead focusing all of your attention on Libertas and her injury.

You are, however, hyperaware of the pheromones you’re undoubtedly radiating and the fact that the others could at any moment notice.

 _If they haven’t already…_ you think, inwardly wincing with embarrassment.

You try to maintain as wide of a berth from the others as possible without rousing suspicion; luckily, Libertas’ injury gives you a good excuse to trail behind them.

You’re still upon Captain Levi’s horse, who is still tied to Libertas, and obediently letting her set the pace.

“Good girl.” You murmur softly, petting the Captain’s horses’ shoulder.

Once you reach the stables, and dismount, the others have already safely secured their horses into their box stalls.

You tell them to go on to see Hange without you, “I want to spend a little extra time with Libertas and make sure she’s okay, but I’ll meet you there, don’t keep Hange waiting.”

You really need an opportunity to compose yourself and freshen up.

As the others nod in understanding and turn to leave, Jean looks as though he wants to say something, and steps forward toward you.

You respond by stepping back, anxious to maintain a distance and prevent him from smelling the change in your scent.

The way his face falls into hurt makes you instantly regret your actions; it wasn’t anything personal but how could you explain that?

He sighs dejectedly and turns to catch up with the others.

 _He probably thought I was stepping away from him in contempt_ , you think guiltily, _he gets enough flack from Eren as it is._

You make a mental note to talk to him later.

Refocusing your full attention onto the two horses, you let out a small sigh of relief.

_Okay, it looks like I got away with it._

You untie the horses from each other and leading the Captain’s horse to her box stall you thank her for carrying you back with a sugar cube, “I’m sorry for the extra weight.”

You make another mental note to ask someone what her name is.

Leading Libertas to her box stall, you make sure to provide her with extra hay bedding, and satisfied when she lays down comfortably in it, you give her one last loving rub between the ears. 

“I’ll be back to check on you again tomorrow, you rest up for now, okay lovely?” You hum, feeling confident in Captain Levi’s assessment of her injury as mild.

You make your way out of the stables and towards the barracks.

_Okay, I should have time to have a quick strip wash before heading to meet the others with Hange._

***

The days pass by in a blur, and you can’t help but be relieved when a week passes since the desperately embarrassing getting-aroused-from-sharing-a-saddle-with-the-Captain incident and Captain Levi makes no sign of having noticed anything happened at all.

 _If anything, he seems less interested in my existence than ever; I don’t think he’s made eye-contact with me once this week_ you think dejectedly.

You aggressively shake those thoughts from your head; _why should it matter how much attention the Captain is or isn’t giving me?_

 _Pull yourself together soldier_ you think angrily, stepping into the shower cubical and locking it behind you.

It’s late, and you’ve just returned from an intense day of helping Hange with various experiments of a nature that go far above your comprehension; deciding to relax with a shower before heading back to your quarters.

You undress mechanically, and hang your clothes and towel over the door, before turning the dial.

The shower is delightfully warm.

It almost feels like an embrace, and your Omegan nature hums in blissful content at the comforting sensation of warm water caressing your skin.

Feeling safe in your solitude, what with it being so late, you allow yourself to let out a soft moan of contentment as the tension you’d been carrying in your shoulders melts away.

 _Oh…_ You think smugly, _one of the unexpected perks of being a member of the Survey Corps is the hot running water…_

A small giggle escapes from between your lips as you think ridiculously; _The perpetual threat of an early death is worth it for this alone._

You lather the shampoo between your fingers and massage it into your scalp indulgently.

An unbidden image of Captain Levi massaging your head in his lap flashes momentarily in your mind.

 ** _Alpha_** your body thrums in response.

You blink rapidly, wishing the image away, and aggressively rinse the shampoo out of your hair. Soapy water gets into your eyes in the process.

“Oh fuck” you mutter under your breath, rubbing your eyes with your palms.

 _Can I not go more than ten minutes without thinking of him_ …? You think irritably.

You quickly finish up with your shower routine (scrubbing a little too hard at your skin, in a useless bid to cleanse yourself of unbidden, lewd thoughts about your Captain).

Slipping a towel around yourself and opening the shower cubical door, you’re suddenly hit with the Captain’s intoxicating scent.

 _Fuck is he in h-_ your thoughts are interrupted as you’re pushed back into the cubical and pinned against the wall by non-other than the Captain himself.

 _What. The. Fuck_ you think, in complete shock, _am I dreaming?_

 ** _Yes Alpha, yours Alpha!!_** Your inner omega drunkenly coos in giddy delight.

One of his thighs is pressed between your legs, pushing the towel wrapped around you up and threatening to expose you vulnerable and naked. A pulsing, pleasurable warmth settles heavily in your abdomen; you want him.

Your eyes widen and your face becomes flushed with heat as you realise that the sizeable hardness pressing into your lower stomach is _not_ his belt.

You can feel your aroused wetness dampening the taut fabric of his trouser leg.

 ** _Take me Alpha_** your needy inner Omega growls at him.

Looking into his eyes, clouded over with unrelenting carnal desire, you wonder if the Alpha in him can hear the Omega in you beckoning to him.

He paws roughly at your right breast, hidden only by the thin fabric of the towel wrapped around you.

You vaguely come to the realisation that you’re audibly purring from beneath his touch.

 _Everything else be damned. This feels so right, and I want to give into it entirely,_ you think wildly with lust.

You bury your face into his neck and scent him fully, breathing him in deeply; his intoxicating, dominating scent makes your legs shake weakly.

_Woodsy bonfire smoke, cinnamon, cloves, black tea leaves…_

**_Perfect Alpha_** your heart whispers lovingly.

**_Strong Alpha_** your body murmurs appreciatively.

**_My Alpha_** your inner Omega demands greedily.

His entire body suddenly tenses, and he weakly growls, “I could smell you.”

You tear yourself away from his neck and look into his conflicted grey eyes; you know he’s talking about when you shared a saddle-ride back to the Walls.

Pain flashes in his eyes, “If I had been a lesser man, I would not have been able to stop myself from claiming you then.”

You had wanted him to, beyond all rational, was it just biology you had been fighting against? It feels more significant than that now.

He growls lowly, “What are you doing to me?”

You try to push through the fog enveloping your brain.

“You’re doing this to me too.” You bite out angrily through clenched teeth, fighting against the desperate, compulsive cries of your inner omega to:

**_Submit to him, submit to him, submit to him!_ **

You watch as clarity widens within his eyes, as he momentarily wins an invisible battle with the Alpha within him.

He detaches himself from you and violently staggers backward. 

His face is coloured with bitter self-hatred, “I shouldn’t have done that. I lost control.”

 ** _NO! NO! NO, COME BACK_ **your inner Omega inwardly screams, and the sound rings in your ears.

He takes one last long, hard pained stare at your face before he turns and flees from the shower room.

You relock the shower cubical door and allow yourself to sink into a heap on the floor; tears spill pitifully down your cheeks.

You reach up and turn the dial, letting the water wash the salty tears away as they form.

**_Abandoned_** your inner Omega sobs with you.

***

About twenty minutes later you have composed yourself, and you have the decency to feel guilty for wasting so much precious water.

 _What is happening to me? I’ve never felt like this before, I’ve never been this conflicted._

Your nails dig painfully into your palms, _I’m supposed to be a soldier for fucks sake,_ you think furiously.

Your towel is soaked, and unable to dry yourself, your clothes stick uncomfortably to your skin as you force them on.

You hopelessly try to stamp out the growing part of yourself that feels giddy with the notion that the Captain desires you, in the same way that you desire him.

Desperately craving the grounding sanctity of your room, you unlock the shower cubical door and step out into the shower room.

 _Thank the walls_ , you think in relief, _no one is here. I hope the hallways are the same._

They are, gratefully, just as barren. _It must be really late by now;_ you think feeling somewhat reassured.

You make it to the door of your room and reaching for the handle, an intrusive desire to be opening the door to Captain Levi’s room dominates your mind.

An image of yourself, nesting in his bed pops unbidden in your minds eye.

Shaking your head angrily, you grab the handle and yank the door open.

All traces of discourse in your thoughts disappears entirely when you’re greeted with the sight of your room in complete disarray.

_Someone’s been here._

Dread settles heavily in your chest, leaving you feeling breathless and reeling.

The room is a complete mess.

The floor is littered with books that have been thrown from their shelves; some have broken spines and pages ripped out.

Your desk has been unceremoniously tipped over.

Your duvet has been thrown into a crumpled pile on the floor by the bed.

But the most horrifying thing by far, is written on the wall in thick strokes of black paint:

THINK YOU CAN PLAY AT BEING A SOLDIER? YOU BELONG TO US AND BENEATH US, LITTLE OMEGA. 

The scent of multiple, unfamiliar Alphas dominates the room, overpowering your own scent.

Your Omegan hormones are coursing madly through your body. 

**_My territory… my safe haven… mine… mine… violated_** your inner omega cries in vicious, hostile grief.

You feel mixed parts horrified and enraged.

You don’t even register the mangled scream that leaves your body, nor the opening of doors or the rushed footsteps of your friends and soldiers in arms advancing toward you.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> AHHH sorry to leave it on a cliff-hanger like that haha but I live for the dramatics. 
> 
> Also sorry for the delay in getting this chapter up (life has been pretty hectic for me this last week)!
> 
> It's really gratifying to see so many of you showing enjoyment by commenting / leaving kudos on this fic, and I'm very grateful for all your kind words! <3 
> 
> I hope this chapter doesn't disappoint - let me know what you thought! 
> 
> I really hope the whole shower scene didn't feel too unnatural - it's a tough balancing act trying to write accurate characterisations hand in hand with the influence of a/b/o dynamics. 
> 
> Constructive criticism very welcomed (as always) x


	5. Instinct over Intellect

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Thank you to the wonderful lowsallow for beta'ing this chapter for me <3

Your legs give way from beneath you, and you find yourself plummeting downwards.

Although physically unharmed, you feel utterly violated by the defilement of the personal safe space that was your room:

**_My territory._ **

If you had felt vulnerable when facing that disgusting, predatory Alpha on your morning run the other week; you felt incomprehensibly more vulnerable now.

You feel entirely unsafe.

Your room, your privacy, your humble belongings, your feelings of safety and security: all desecrated in one horrible instant.

The tightness in your chest renders you unable to breath; you desperately try to suck in mouthfuls of air to compensate.

**_Unsafe._ **

An uncontainable sob wrecks its way out of your heaving chest as strong arms catch you before you hit the cold, hard hallway floor.

Eren’s familiar Alpha scent embraces you as he pulls you into his chest. You bury your face into the linen of his nightshirt, tears melting against the fabric, temporarily staining it with saltwater. The vibrating growl growing from within his chest feels oddly comforting against your tearstained cheek.

You hear the enraged intertwined voices of your squad mates from around you.

“What the fuck do they think they’re doing?” You make out Jean’s furious voice yell from amid the chaos of noise.

A hand rests gently on your shoulder, Armin’s muffled voice softly addresses you, but you can’t make out his words.

**_Unsafe._ **

The feeling has lost its intensity, thanks to the comforting presence of the people you trust, but still remains suffocatingly buried within your chest. It threatens to explode from within you and send broken shards of your ribcage flying out like shrapnel. 

The image of the writing on the wall is burned into your memory:

THINK YOU CAN PLAY AT BEING A SOLDIER? YOU BELONG TO US AND BENEATH US, LITTLE OMEGA. 

It doesn’t take a genius to read between the lines and pick up on the underlying sexual threat inherent in the statement.

Just as another anxious sob heaves itself from your chest, you hear the Captain’s commanding voice dominating the fray of angry voices into silence,

“Eren, give her to me.”

Your treacherous heart surges with relief at the sound of his voice.

Eren tenses around you, protective Alpha hormones wildly coursing through him.

If you weren’t so mentally overwhelmed by the melee of grief, fury and horror at the violation of your safe place, you might have realised the danger of the current situation.

Alphas are at their most unstable in the presence of a familiar Omega in distress; the pheromones that you’re currently releasing in your overwhelmed state have the hackles of every Alpha in your squad raised.

Eren bears the brunt of those pheromones and biology is commanding him to fight to protect you; even though consciously he must understand that you aren’t in immediate physical danger.

You don’t see him baring his teeth at the Captain, but you sure as hell hear the forceful growl that instinctually reverberates from him.

You also don’t see the way Captain Levi’s dark eyes flash with possessive rage.

Nor do you see him closing the distance between the both of you and himself, but you nearly fall over from the force with which he rips Eren away from you.

Face now exposed, you watch mutely, mind and body still overwhelmed by your room’s violation, and the physical, sexual threat to your body, as the Captain throws Eren against the wall with a sickening thud.

You are left experiencing an odd moment of déjà vu; your conscious mind is yet to resurface from under the tidal wave of vulnerability, feeling unanchored. If it were to breach the surface, you’d recognise the parallels to that moment, weeks ago, when the Captain threw Eren off of you during cleaning duty. However, this time, the Captain’s actions are more aggressive, and the anger in his movements and on his face less constrained:

He looks _dangerous._

 ** _Powerful Alpha_** your inner Omega surfaces from its all-consuming panic in acknowledgment.

Paradoxically, seeing him look so threatening soothes some of the feeling of fear and insecurity settled beneath your sternum.

Mikasa and Armin rush to Eren’s side, restraining him from countering the Captain’s attack.

Captain Levi, seeing that Eren is incapacitated, turns his full attention to you.

His eyes sweep searchingly over you, presumably checking for injuries in response to your distressed pheromones.

Satisfied that you are physically unharmed, he advances towards you and pulls you into a possessive embrace, his scent claiming dominance over Eren’s on you.

 ** _Safe now_** your inner Omega sighs in exhausted relief.

The irregular, painful hammering of your heart in your chest starts to find its normal, gentle tempo.

He is silent and still against you as your laboured breathing slowly eases and quietens to an even rhythm of silent breaths in and out.

The shift is evident in your pheromones, and some of the tension is lost from the bodies of the Alphas in your group.

Eren stops struggling against Mikasa and Armin.

_Since when had Captain Levi become such a significant source of my security?_

The question seems ridiculous as soon as it comes to your mind. He’s humanity’s strongest – _the_ symbol of safety; can you blame yourself for getting tied up in that mentality?

_It’s more personal than that though…_

You’re far too emotionally exhausted, though, to unpack your feelings right this second. 

“No one enter the room, Jean, run and get Hange,” Captain Levi commands.

***

You’re sitting in Erwin’s office, and it’s feeling a little claustrophobic, what with the rest of the squad (plus Hange) all crammed in there too.

Captain Levi stands, silently, directly behind your seat.

It’s the early hours of the morning now, and you haven’t had a wink of sleep; a migraine has settled uncomfortably behind your eyes. Trying to refocus, you blearily think back on how you got here:

_Jean had returned with Hange surprisingly quickly._

_It was obvious that he had explained the situation on route because Hange had immediately jumped into action; as intense as ever, but their usual excited demeanour replaced with grim seriousness._

_Hange had gone into the room alone, taking notes and samples that could lead to the identity of the intruders and/ or their motives._

_However… you have no doubt that you’d be able to distinguish the perpetrators immediately – their threatening scents are seared in your mind._

_Captain Levi had kept a firm hold of you the entire time. His arms wrapped tightly around you in a grounding, secure embrace. As odd as the sentiment may be, you felt as though you belonged naturally encompassed in those strong arms; you felt whole._

_Until you’d finally pulled away – plagued with feelings of embarrassment at your show of complete vulnerability in front of everyone. You’d wanted to be accepted as strong, but ultimately you kept proving yourself to be weak._

_You had, with permission from Hange when they’d finished investigating the room, collected a few significant items – your suppressants, a hairbrush and some clothes._

_You’d held your breath whilst retrieving them._

“Well,” Commander Erwin’s deep voice brings you back to the present, “This is a most unpleasant turn of events.”

His eyes bare into yours, “I would like to apologise, on behalf of the Survey Corps, for the damage inflicted to your personal property and the threats made against your person.”

His eyes darken, “I do not condone the behaviour of the perpetrators, and upon discovering their identities shall see that they are removed from the military for their act-”

“They need to be **_punished_** ,” Captain Levi interjects coolly.

Commander Erwin’s eyes study his face, searchingly for a silent minute, before he speaks again; “Levi, I will put you and Hange in charge of seeking out the perpetrators. You may use your squad members as required in the investigation; it is imperative that we show zero tolerance for this kind of behaviour.”

His eyes flicker back to you, “I believe it best that you permanently move out of that room.”

You nod in agreement, all positive associations with that room as yours gone.

“Considering that you have become an apparent target, it would be foolish of me to allow you to continue to reside in a room alone. I initially made the decision for you to have a separate room, when it is custom to share with another because of the uniqueness of your being an Omega; I was trying to be respectful of the _complexities_ revolving around that-”

You cringe inwardly at his description of your Omegan nature, but the complete internal meltdown you had today at the disturbance of your ‘territory’ attests to the ‘complexities’ of your biology. _Just another reason why I have to work harder to be recognised as worthy of my position here,_ you think grimly. 

“-however, unfortunately circumstances have backed us into a corner,” he finishes with a sigh.

Commander Erwin’s eyes scan over the rest of the squad members, “Taking into account how your distress _affected_ your comrades this evening, and the pacifying result of Captain Levi’s reaction – which helped uncloud Eren’s mind from within the clutches of instinct – I believe that you ought to room, at least temporarily, with the Captain.”

Your mind goes blank, unable to comprehend the Commander’s words.

Shocked silence fills the room.

Levi breaks it with a snarky and biting growl, “Have you lost your goddamn mind?”

Erwin looks mildly amused, “No, I don’t believe that’s happened to me just yet.”

Complex and desperately conflicting emotions bubble violently within your chest.

You speak quickly, “With all due respect Commander, I don’t understand your logic. You say that you want to be sensitive to my Omegan sentimentalities and then in the next breath you ask me to room with the Captain; who is an Alpha, do you have any idea of the kind of stress–”

Commander Erwin interrupts your stream of consciousness, “Please trust that I have your best interests in mind. I am aware that it may put you under stress, and I apologise for that. However, sharing a room with him will be the surest way to ensure that his scent is on you at all times. This will help stabilise the dynamic of the squad and prevent further incidents where squad mates–” He gestures to Eren. “–find themselves overly influenced by instinctual demands that prevent clarity of thought.”

Your heart sinks, as you think bitterly:

_He sees me as a burden._

_A burden that needs to be managed._

_Is he wrong?_ You find yourself self-deprecatingly wondering, _Am I not a burden?_

You glance at your comrades, who all look as though they’re desperately biting their tongues, and wonder if they see you as a burden.

You notice Mikasa’s elbow digging sharply into Eren’s side, a physical threat to stay silent, and quiet fondness for your friends stops you spiralling in useless self-pity.

 _I need to stop taking everything so personally_ , you think with renewed vigour, _The Commander is acting in what he considers to be the best course of action and as a soldier I must trust his judgement._

“Understood, Sir.” You reply softly yet firmly with resolution.

Captain Levi’s voice is rich with conflict, “Everyone out, including you four-eyes. I need to speak to Commander Erwin alone.”

You don’t know if it’s the sleep deprivation, the trauma of being threatened and having your room destroyed or the thought of being designated to sleep in a room alone with the Captain; but you feel dangerously unsteady as you rise from your chair and head silently through the door. 

You know that you’re well and truly fucked when your sleep deprived mind suddenly becomes inundated with impetuous and explicit images of the Captain bending you over his bed and –

 _Shit. What is wrong with me_ , you think hopelessly in embarrassment.

Your momentary resolution falters, and you absolutely refuse to make eye-contact with anyone as your face flushes with heat.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ohhh so how do we feel about this chain of events? ;)
> 
> On a real note though, is this a reader x Levi fic or an Eren x getting thrown at Walls fic?   
> (okay, okay I'll stop trying to be funny...)
> 
> Hope you enjoyed this chapter! I am honestly shocked by the massive amount of support this fic has received and I cherish and value everyone who has left comments / kudos - I don't think I would have the self-confidence to carry on with this fic without you all <3 
> 
> Thank you again lowsallow for beta'ing this chapter for me, you are amazing and I'm very grateful :)


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